Symara Johnson

Artist Statement

My choreographic practice navigates the complexities of my personal and cultural histories through movement, sound, and research. At present, I am interested in creating worlds inside of proscenium spaces that create space for queer Black femme anarchical play. I am presently in conversation with how the black femme body can access authentic liberation and autonomy. Thus far to achieve this I have cultivated safe improvisational dance spaces that allow for the fullness of the black emotional body to live by generating scores that give space to engage with rage, sorrow, joy and more. I create the space to access suppressed emotionality in community as a way to be in proximity to liberation. I am researching and creating self-generated tools to be in proximity to autonomy/freedom, of which improvisation is an access point. When given these tools how does our engagement with life shift? When we create room to engage safely with our physical, emotional, and mental do we reclaim power and dismantle inhibitors? I am currently in practice with the black feminine, specifically exploring what it asks for to gain liberation and its range of autonomy, and how to translate and present these inquiries in performance spaces.

Symara sarai_ photo of performance New York Live Arts_ Photo credit: Whitney Brown

Bio

Symara Sarai(They/She), a Portland, Oregon native currently residing in Brooklyn, has immersed herself in interdisciplinary and choreographic studies globally. A 2023 Bessie Winner for Breakout Choreographer, Symara is also a recipient of the Dai Ailian Foundation Scholarship based in Trinidad and Tobago. The scholarship led her to Beijing, China where she spent two years gaining an associate degree in modern choreography at the renowned Beijing Dance Academy. Symara is a 2019 graduate of SUNY Purchase’s Conservatory of Dance Program. She has been involved in Bearnstow's Artist in residence program, Gibney 6.2 Work Up, Gallim’s 2022 Moving Artist’s Residency, BAX’s Fall 2022 Space Grant Program, and Center for Performance Research’s 2022 AIR Program. She was recently a New York Live Arts Fresh Tracks Artist 23/24 as well as a 23/24 Women in Motion Commissioned artist. They are currently a Movement Research Artist in Residence and a Abrons Arts Center Performance AIRspace Resident. Their work as a performer and maker has been reviewed and featured in the NY Times, Dance Enthusiast, Fjord, as well as promoted through Forbes. They have presented work at New York Live Arts, The Clarice at UMD, The LGBT Center in NY, Judson Church, BAAD, Kestrels, and other venues throughout the United States, China, and Germany. She is currently an Urban Bush Women company member. She has also notably worked with Jasmine Hearn, Ogemdi Ude, Pioneers Go East Collective, Kevin Wynn, Joanna Kotze, Nattie Trogdon+Hollis Bartlett, and Slowdanger, among others.

symarasarai.com